Los Angeles Pre-College: Unleash Your Potential

Course Description: Los Angeles Pre-College: Unleash Your Potential

Pre-College Program at UCLA with Hawaii Extension 🌴🎓

32 days of campus life at UCLA plus an unforgettable journey to Maui and O‘ahu.

Program Overview 🌟

This 32-day pre-college program allows high school students to experience college-style living on the campus of UCLA and then continue their adventure with an 11-day extension to Hawaii.

Students begin with academic courses, campus life, and iconic Los Angeles excursions, then travel on to Maui and O‘ahu to enjoy beach time, water activities, cultural experiences, and classic Hawaiian highlights. The program combines academic preparation, group travel, and structured independence to help students prepare for university life while building new friendships and confidence.

The campus portion is based at UCLA in Los Angeles, with access to outstanding athletic facilities and the vibrant Westwood Village neighborhood. The Hawaii extension includes hotel stays on Maui and O‘ahu.

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Program Highlights ✨

• Pursue your interests with a variety of enriching pre-college courses

• Experience college life at the #1 public university in the United States 🏫

• Stay active with full use of UCLA’s world-class recreational facilities 💪

• Explore Los Angeles, visit Universal Studios, and cheer at a Dodgers MLB game ⚾

• Enjoy professional surf lessons at Santa Monica Beach 🏄

• Laugh with friends at the IMPROV Comedy Club 🎭

• Take part in college preparation workshops and campus tours 🎓

• Discover UCLA campus and Westwood Village

• Travel on to Hawaii for an 11-day extension in Maui and O‘ahu 🌺

• Experience a traditional Hawaiian luau

• Ride the tide on an outrigger canoe

• Snorkel, enjoy beach time, and stay in Hawaii hotels

• Meet and make new friends while living and traveling together 🌍

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Typical Weekday Schedule (UCLA Campus) 📅

Students choose one morning and one afternoon course. Individual schedules and lunch times may vary based on course selection.

8:00 AM – Wake Up

8:30 AM – Breakfast

9:30 AM – Morning Course

11:30 AM – Lunch

1:30 PM – Afternoon Course

3:30 PM – Free Time (sports, fitness center, free time, special activities)

6:00 PM – Dinner

7:00 PM – Evening Activities

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Academic Courses at UCLA 📘

Morning Courses

Sports Management (UCLA)

Overview of the business of professional sports, including finance, marketing, technology, event production, broadcasting rights, athlete marketing, sponsorship, the fan experience, and sports law. Delivered through lectures, case studies, and guest speakers.

Psychology of Human Behavior (UCLA)

Introduction to behavioral, cognitive, and clinical psychology. Topics include emotional intelligence, perception, cognitive distortions, memory, mental illness, stereotyping, and prejudice, using discussion, film, and in-class activities.

Cooking: L.A. Gourmet Experience 🍳

Hands-on culinary course covering knife skills, gourmet entrées, desserts, and themed menus. Students prepare dishes with guidance from an expert chef and take home a recipe book of their creations.

Supplementary fee: $220

Independent Workout 🏋️

Students design a personal fitness regimen combining weight training and cardio to support their goals, using UCLA’s athletic facilities.

Stock Market & Investment Analysis (UCLA)

Introduction to basic finance, investment portfolios, and stock market mechanics. Students explore investment tools and strategies and practice in a simulated stock market competition.

Mastering Communication & Debating Skills (UCLA) 🎤

Workshop-based course that helps students become confident and persuasive communicators. Includes presentation skills, argument building, critical thinking, and respectful debate.

English Language Learning (ELL)

Designed to increase English fluency through real experiences with American culture. Students work on vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and writing, and practice English during guided field trips.

Supplementary fee: $220

U.S. Law ⚖️

Interactive introduction to the U.S. legal system, public policy, and legal debate. Students explore how laws are structured and evolve through discussions, case studies, exercises, and simulations.

Community Service: L.A. 🤝

Students perform meaningful service in communities in and around Los Angeles. Planned projects include several days working with children at a youth club. A letter recognizing service hours and projects completed is provided. The program is a Certifying Organization for the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

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Afternoon Courses

Business Entrepreneurship (UCLA) 💡

Intensive, hands-on entrepreneurship course. Students assess opportunities, develop a venture concept and growth strategies, create marketing plans, build a management approach, and prepare financial projections. The course concludes with a team “shark tank”-style presentation.

International Business & World Financial Markets 🌍

Explores globalization, international trade, foreign currency, investment, and regulation. Students analyze business problems related to current events in the U.S. and abroad and develop strategic responses.

Social Media Marketing (UCLA) 📱

Examines social media channels as tools for marketing, advertising, and communication. Using real-world examples from both large corporations and small businesses, students learn how professionals build brand awareness and engagement online.

Cooking: L.A. Gourmet Experience

Same hands-on culinary course as the morning option.

Supplementary fee: $220

Independent Workout

Students continue with a self-directed fitness routine using UCLA’s athletic facilities.

SAT Prep 📝

Course focused on improving SAT performance through strategies, practice, drills, and test reviews. Students build skills in math, critical reading, and writing. The course includes:

• Instructor-led methods and strategies

• Diagnostic exams with computer analysis

• Course materials and workbooks

  Supplementary fee: $595

Crime Scene Investigation: CSI Los Angeles 🔬

Hands-on introduction to forensic science. Students learn about CSI procedures, forensic anthropology, biology, and bloodstain pattern analysis. A staged scenario allows teams to collect and interpret evidence before presenting findings in a mock-court setting.

Surfing 🏄‍♀️

Surf course at Santa Monica Beach where students learn balance, technique, and form. All experience levels are welcome.

Supplementary fee: $220

Digital Photography: L.A. 📸

Photography course in Los Angeles focusing on camera operations, techniques, and visual storytelling. Students learn about ISO, shutter speed, aperture, white balance, image quality, and composition. Two local field trips are included (The Getty and a traditional darkroom). The course ends with post-production, printing, and Adobe Photoshop work, and each student finishes with at least one printed photograph.

A DSLR or bridge camera with manual functions and at least a 12.0 megapixel sensor is required.

Community Service: L.A.

Same community service option as in the morning.

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College Admissions Workshops 🎓

Workshop 1 – Choosing the Right School and College Application Process

Covers the key steps in researching and selecting universities, understanding the Common Application, building an academic and co-curricular profile, and planning timelines for applications, supplements, and essays.

Workshop 2 – College Essay Writing ✍️

Focuses on developing a strong personal statement, from brainstorming and finding a unique voice to understanding prompts, structuring essays, and editing. Includes examples of real college essays and practical writing advice.

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Life on Campus at UCLA 🏫

UCLA Campus

Students live and learn on the UCLA campus, located in one of the most exciting cities in the world and surrounded by neighborhoods like Beverly Hills, Westwood, and Bel Air.

On-Campus Residence – Delta Terrace, Sunset Village 🛏️

Students stay in a UCLA residence with:

• Suite-style accommodation

• Private bathroom

• Workspace and closet space

• Air conditioning and Wi-Fi

• Close proximity to dining halls, recreation centers, pools, classrooms, and the student union

Athletic Facilities 🏀🏊

Students have complimentary access to UCLA’s world-class facilities, including:

• Strength & conditioning zones

• Cardio equipment

• Stretching areas

• Pools

• Basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, racquetball & squash courts

• Climbing wall

• Games lounge

What It’s Like

• College-style balance of engaging courses, group excursions, and free time

• Certificate of completion provided (with letters of recommendation available) 📄

• Classes exclusive to program participants

• Courses taught by experienced university-level faculty, instructors, and local professionals

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Los Angeles Highlights 🌆

Students enjoy many of Los Angeles’ most famous sites, such as:

• Universal Studios & CityWalk (including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter) 🎢

• Surf lessons at Santa Monica Beach

• Hollywood Walk of Fame

• Venice Beach and Boardwalk

• Santa Monica Pier 🎡

• Manhattan Beach

• Original Farmers Market

• Disneyland & Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ✨

• Dodgers MLB Game ⚾

• Rodeo Drive

• IMPROV Comedy Club 🎭

• Abbot Kinney Boulevard

• Century City

• Third Street Promenade

• Griffith Observatory

• Hollywood Sign hike

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Hawaii Extension – Maui & O‘ahu 🌺🌊

After the UCLA portion, students continue to Maui and O‘ahu for 11 days of exploration and adventure.

Maui

Snorkeling at Coral Gardens

Students board a double-deck catamaran and snorkel among more than 250 species of fish at one of Maui’s premier snorkeling destinations.

Professional Surf Lessons 🏄

Guided surf instruction with expert surf teachers, helping students build confidence and skill on the waves.

Outrigger Canoe Ride

Students ride an outrigger canoe and experience surfing a wave in a traditional Hawaiian craft.

Accommodation: Maui Coast Hotel 🏨

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O‘ahu

Banana Boating

A high-energy water activity on a 6-seater banana boat departing from Koko Marina.

Dole Pineapple Plantation

Visit to the famous plantation, with the chance to try its well-known pineapple-flavored Dole Whip.

Beach Time 🏖️

Relaxation and social time on O‘ahu’s beaches.

Authentic Luau Experience

An evening of Hawaiian culture, music, and dance at a traditional luau.

Diamond Head Hike

Hike up the iconic Diamond Head crater, formed from historic volcanic eruptions, with panoramic views.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Waikiki 🏨

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Meals & Dietary Needs 🍽️

On Campus (UCLA)

• Breakfast: UCLA dining hall or Café 1919 (grab-and-go)

• Lunch: At the UCLA dining hall, local Westwood restaurants, or small restaurants during excursions (lunch is not included in tuition)

• Dinner: UCLA dining hall or local restaurants

Food options are varied and plentiful, with rotating menus and staples such as salad bars, hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, and pizza. Most dietary preferences and allergies can be accommodated, including vegetarian, food allergies, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher-style diets.

In Hawaii

Breakfast and dinner remain included daily, with a mix of hotel and local dining options (as per program structure).

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Transportation & Program Specifics ✈️🚌

Travel to Los Angeles

Participants may:

• Join a chaperoned flight from the New York area to Los Angeles

• Fly independently to Los Angeles and be greeted upon arrival, with complimentary transfer to the UCLA residence for flights arriving within designated times

• Be dropped off directly at the UCLA residence

Internal Flights (Los Angeles – Hawaii & Between Islands)

Separate from international or domestic flights to/from the program, there is an additional $850 USD fee for the internal flights:

• From Los Angeles to Hawaii

• Between the Hawaiian islands

Return from O‘ahu

For the return from O‘ahu:

• A chaperoned flight to the New York area is available

• Students may also fly directly to their home city, with leaders assisting with check-in and staying at the airport until flights (within designated times) have departed

Local Transportation

• Around Los Angeles: travel by passenger van or school bus

• In Hawaii: travel by private motor coach and private school bus

Laundry 🧺

Laundry facilities are available at the UCLA residence, and students typically need about one week’s worth of clothing. Additional laundry opportunities are available during the program.

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What’s Included ✅

• All lodging (UCLA residence and Hawaii hotels)

• Breakfast and dinner daily

• Listed recreation and entertainment

• Day and weekend excursions

• Use of UCLA athletic facilities

• Wi-Fi in residence

• Campus identification fee

• Academic courses (supplementary fees apply for select options such as Cooking, ELL, SAT Prep, Surfing, etc.)

• Airport transfers at designated times

• Taxes and standard gratuities

Not Included ❌

• Transportation to and from the program (international/domestic flights)

• Internal flight package (Los Angeles–Hawaii and between islands – $850 USD)

• Lunches

• Snacks

• Personal spending money and souvenirs

• Laundry costs

• Application fee

• Optional travel insurance

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Program Note

This summer program for high school students is operated by a private organization. While students stay at a UCLA residence, use UCLA classrooms and athletic facilities, and some courses are taught by UCLA Extension instructors, it is not a UCLA program, and responsibility for the program rests solely with the operator.